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17-Year-Olds and Primary Elections
Although the federal voting age is 18, a third of the states allow those who are 17 but will be 18 by the general election to vote in primaries. Other states may do this as an administrative practice as well. States may take this action to encourage voter participation among young people, or because primaries can be seen as part of the general election process.
Some states may allow 17-year-olds to vote in presidential primaries or caucuses as well. These states are not included on this webpage.
For information on states that permit 16- and 17-year-olds to register to vote, see Preregistration for Young Voters.
States that Allow Voting for People Under the Age of 18
| STATE |
STATUTE |
ENACTED |
|
Connecticut
|
Article XXXI, Articles of Amendment to the Constitution |
2008 |
| Colorado |
Colo. Rev. Stat. §1-2-101* |
2019 |
| Delaware |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 15, §1701, 3110 |
2010 |
| District of Columbia |
D.C. Code Ann. §1-1001.07 |
2009 |
| Illinois |
Ill. Rev. Stat. §5/3-6 |
2013 |
| Indiana |
Ind. Code §3-7-13-1 |
1995 |
| Kentucky |
Ky. Rev. Stat. §116.055 |
2010 |
| Maine |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §111-A |
2004 |
| Maryland |
Md. Ann. Code art. 3, §102(a)(2)
|
2010 |
| Mississippi |
Miss. Code Ann. §23-15-11 |
1997 |
| Nebraska |
Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-110
|
1994 |
| New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. Ann. §1-4-2 |
2016 |
| North Carolina |
N.C. Gen. Stat. §163A-843 |
2016 |
| Ohio |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §3503.011 |
1981 |
| South Carolina |
S.C. Code Ann. §7-5-180 |
1997 |
| Utah |
Utah Code Ann. §20A-2-101 |
2018 |
| Vermont |
Const. Ch. II, §42 |
2010 |
| Virginia |
Va. Code §24.2-403 |
2004 |
| West Virigina |
W. Va. Code §3-2-2 |
2013 |
*The passage of Amendment 76 in 2020 may prohibit 17-year-olds from voting in primaries, though a definitive answer has not yet been reached.
Contact NCSl's election staff at elections-info@ncsl.org for more information.
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